1st batch of skilled workforce off to West Asia

Aiming to make India the ‘Skill Capital’ of the world by 2022, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has sent its first batch of trained manpower to West Asia. “The first batch of 10 welders, certified at level 2/3 of Australian Qualification Framework (AQF), will be placed with Nasser Al Hajari Corporation, the largest contractor of skilled manpower in West Asia. They have been offered USD $350, and the next batch has been offered $500, which can go up to $700 within the next six months,” said Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister for MSDE (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs.

“There is a demand for 5000 similar youth across the world and we should emphasize to meet this demand in the next one year. This partnership is of particular significance as it is a step ahead in cementing the India — Australia Skills Partnership,” he said.Rudy said that this initiative is also an important step towards furthering the India - Australia Skills Partnership which was launched during the Prime Minister’s visit last year, with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) leading the way.

This is a joint initiative of Il&FS Skills, an NSDC Training Partner and OGM, Australia. Delivered over a period of 6 months, this training was delivered at Il&FS Institute of Skills — Ropar, mapped to Australian Qualifications and Standards. The training was imparted in simulated labs with a hybrid model which includes classroom training, practical welding works, project work and compulsory On-Job-Training at leighton India. 

Each successful trainee has been offered a basic salary of USD 350 per month with additional perks such as over time, boarding and lodging, travel, health insurance etc. and paid vacation twice a year. The maximum earning can go up to double the basic pay with experience.“Kangan, TAFE from Victoria, Australia is the Assessment partner who has worked closely with the Il&FS team to structure the programme, especially on the quality aspects,” Rudy explained.

“The AQF provides for flexible, transparent and systematic learning pathways and is globally recognized. Automobile Sector Skill Council (ASDC) has also certified these trainees on level 3 of National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) making them ready for Indian job market,” he said.

Dr Amanda Day, Counsellor, Education at Embassy of Australia shared that 22,000 students are studying in Australia to acquire vocational education qualifications. “This pilot is an outcome of the commitment of both Indian and Australian Government towards creating a robust training system which addresses the skill gaps in India and manpower challenges of Australia,” said Day.“This pilot was undertaken as an experiment towards delivering internationally benchmarked trainings in India. Both, OGM and Il&FS have worked closely to curate this partnership,” she said.